The Friday before my birthday I took the day off and Ryan took a half day. There is something extra indulgent and exhilarating about having a random day off when you’re meant to be working and everyone you know is still at work. With our special day off we decided to go to Portobello Market.

When we first moved to London we went to the market on a Saturday. I mentioned this trip briefly when I made sausage rolls. During that trip we ate some food, went to Books for Cooks and I got a cookbook, and we walked around a bit. However, the crowds were punishing. Around the food stalls we were able to peak in and browse a bit, but towards the antiques the sea of humanity was so thick we could only walk forwards, crane our necks to try to glimpse anything at all, and yearn for when the crowds would begin to disperse. The best part of the day was getting fish and chips and having a quiet picnic in the park. However, what we were able to see that day piqued our interest and we knew we’d have to go back, but not on a Saturday.

This trip we started out by the antiques side of things. In this part of Notting Hill we got to see the iconic pastel colored housing. They are so cheery which I really enjoy. I also find it really fun to browse among the stacks and stalls of charming antiques and knick-knacks. The truth is I love little bits and bobs. I like looking in shops, touching things, and imagining it in a future room or house (even if it’s not mine). I especially like things with a bit of personality. I like things that remind me of a place where I’ve visited, or make me feel like I’m in my favorite book, or make me laugh. And that’s what made the market so fun.

We saw gorgeous old wooden storage boxes with company names and trades printed on the sides. Where they really old? I have no idea. But they look cool and would make you smile when you see it in your house. We saw stacks of beautiful flowered print tea pots, cups, and china patterns. I even saw one pattern that nearly matched the red china patterns of the dishes my mom has. It felt like such a small world to see a bit of home at the market. And I saw rows of feathered, laced, and girly fascinators (those tiny hat things on a headband) – which I badly wanted to buy but have no real use for. That’s one of those English things I really want to do – be invited to a place where I’m meant to wear a fascinator. There’s so much to see and the market is a place where you’d love to take things home, but just looking is also lots of fun too.

Ryan and I browsed in a store that sold old maps and engravings. We saw maps that were hundreds of years old, beautiful flower drawings, and much more. A few objects were outside to flip through, but Ryan and I went in to see more. Inside the shop things were arranged by topic or geographic location. Ryan mostly looked at the maps and I looked around to see what was most unusual. My favorite section was the engravings about professions and I found many detailed and ornate drawings about dentistry. I’m not a fan of the dentist, but it helped me have a different appreciation for them after seeing artfully drawn images of molars and people sitting in the dentist’s chair.

The end of the day was all about food. We walked through the fruit and vegetable market ogling everything. The strawberries were fat and red, the olives were shiny and colorful, the pizzas were gooey and cheesy. Needless to say, we wanted everything. We decided on cheese fries and we inhaled them. So often cheese fries are fries topped with imitation cheese sauce but these – these were topped with real sharp cheddar cheese and rosemary sprinkled on top. The cheese had a bite but also a rich creamy flavor. Ryan and I even fought a bit over who could have the best cheesy bites. After that snack, we had lunch at a nearby place and had pie and mash while sitting outside at a table on the street. I love being outside when ordinarily I’d be inside at work. Finally, we decided to walk off the food with a long walk along the canal. I don’t know if it’s possible to have a better Friday afternoon off – we saw some cool things (but bought nothing), we lusted after food (and also ate some too), and we took a stroll through London (well we took the tube halfway home). With such success, I think we should take the day off more often!

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